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| Just how did Lenny avoid Movementarian conversion, anyway? His love for Special K? |
Homer and Bart go to the airport to 'welcome' back the football team from the championship game (which they lost). While there, Homer brushes off most of the religious nuts, save one: the Movementarians, who are offering a free weekend to their complex (where no beer is allowed, though Homer doesn't learn that until later). Homer takes them up on it because, hey, its a free weekend.
The Movementarians are, of course, a cult that worships an all-mighty "Leader" who promises to take his followers to a planet called "Blisstopia". During the weekend, the members of the cult stop at nothing to brainwash and weaken everyone that attends, but Homer unwittingly avoids falling prey to their tactics for most of the weekend. Just as Homer seems to of avoided the trap, one member recalls Homer singing the 60s Batman theme, and uses it as a chant for the Leader. Homer catches onto the tune, declaring his love for the Leader in the process.
Homer is now brainwashed and signs himself and his family over to the cult in change for his house and money. He's not the only one: nearly everybody else in town is brainwashed and does the same. Seems like only Reverend Lovejoy, the Flanders family, Mr. Burns and associates and Lenny escape the Movementarian march, even the media is bought out by the cult. Bart attempts to try his array of pranks at the complex, but is immediately brainwashed. Lisa tries to revolt, but she too falls when the prospect of getting good grades overwhelms her. Even Maggie gets brainwashed fairly easily. Marge is the last member of the family still herself, and upon realizing this, makes an escape from the compound.
She meets up with Lovejoy and tells him what's going on. Nearby, Groundskeeper Willie promises to kidnap and deprogram Homer and the kids. They drive back to the compound in a car like the one the Leader supposedly is driven around in, and tricks the family into the car. They take them over to Flanders' house for deprogramming. Marge is able to 'fix' the kids quickly enough, but when Willie tries to help Homer, Homer's descriptions of the Leader only brainwash Willie. Ned offers some beer to Homer, who hasn't actually had any since the brainwashing. Just as a drop touches Homer's tongue, a group of lawyers representing the Movementarians barge in and claim Homer, who says he wants to go back.
Back as the complex, Homer is greeted by his fellow brainwashed, but he reveals that the beer reawakened him, and plans to reveals the Leader as a fraud. However, Homer uncovers what seems to be a large spaceship, with a booming voice declaring humanity doomed. It tries to float away, but breaks apart, revealing the "Leader" on a flying contraption that goes down from all the money its carrying. Marge is happy the family is free from brainwashing, but that doesn't last long after a night of FOX programming.
Quick Review
I enjoyed this episode quite a lot. The town's quick conversion to Movementarianism, Homer's initial resistance to such, Burns' attempt at creating a cult for tax-exempt purposes, and Marge's attempts to 'cure' her family near the end all make up some of the better moments of the episode.
Final Score: 9.5
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